Andrea Cominelli was an Italian stonemason, sculptor and architect, who was active in the
Republic of Venice during the second half of the 17th century.
Early years
Little is known of Cominelli's youth. He was probably born in Venice in the first half of the 17th century into a family from
Bergamo
Bergamo (; lmo, Bèrghem ; from the proto- Germanic elements *''berg +*heim'', the "mountain home") is a city in the alpine Lombardy region of northern Italy, approximately northeast of Milan, and about from Switzerland, the alpine lakes Como ...
.
In 1652
Francesco and Tommaso Morosini commissioned Cominelli to restore the facade of the Church of San Clemente on the
Isola di San Clemente. He included busts of
Morosini family members above the portal, and their coat of arms. He also added statues of
Saint Benedict and
Saint Romuald, and a Madonna and cherub. The facade includes reliefs of scenes from battles commemorating the Morosini's victories in the war against the Turks.
He is thought to have himself made the sculptures of the two brothers Morosini and of the two saints.
Carmelite convent
Cominelli is recorded on a bill of payment dated 4 April 1653 for implementation of an altar in the church of the new Venetian convent of the
Carmelites of St. Theresa.
He was engaged in this work until the end of 1654. He supervised construction of the convent and church of San Palo between 1682 and 1683, said by Brandolese in 1795 to have "some elegance, that would be greater if it were not encrusted with stucco". In 1679 he was in charge of the arrangement of the organ, with the work done by Eugenio Gasparini.
On 7 April 1682 he signed an agreement for the partial reconstruction and beautification of the altar of the Blessed Virgin of Carmel.
The church and convent of St. Teresa were built by Cominelli for the Sisters of Saint Theresa and consecrated in 1688.
The church has a tall, square and simple design.
Other work

While working almost continuously for the Carmelites, Cominelli undertook other works.
He made the altar of
Baldassarre Longhena's St. Mary the Virgin in 1674-1677. He participated in the competition for design of the "
Dogana da Mar" customs house (1676-1677).
There are no records of activity after 1688. However, he was credited with the design of the
Palazzo Labia, built for private clients.
Cominelli designed the water facades of the building.
The building was completed in 1696.
Later the ballroom was decorated by the perspective artist
Gerolamo Mengozzi Colonna and the fresco painter
Giovanni Battista Tiepolo
Giovanni Battista Tiepolo ( , ; March 5, 1696 – March 27, 1770), also known as Giambattista (or Gianbattista) Tiepolo, was an Italian painter and printmaker from the Republic of Venice who painted in the Rococo style, considered an impo ...
.
The paintings tell the story of
Anthony and Cleopatra.
In the mid-18th century
Alessandro Tremignon
Alessandro Tremignón (or Tremignàn, Tremiglióne; 1635–1711) was an Italian architect from Padua.
Work
Tremignon was active in Venice.
He was influenced by Baldassare Longhèna.
Tremignon adapted the High Baroque structural style of Longhe ...
designed the campo facade of the palace.
References
Sources
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Cominelli, Andrea
Republic of Venice architects
17th-century Italian architects
Republic of Venice sculptors
17th-century Italian sculptors
Italian male sculptors